Corpore Sano

"Prevent the Gifted from being possessed by Corruption, and stop any who become Corrupted at all costs. ""- The Mission"The Corpore Sano is a Secret Society which dates back to the end of the magical apocalypse. Publicly it serves as a social organization for the High Nobility of Crowstead, and those minor nobles deemed worthy of admittance. It plays a major role in arranging marriages among the noble houses, and its Ancient Sanctum serves as a club for the elite. The Ballroom of the Ancient Sanctum holds the most important social events in Crowstead each year, and is always attended by the most wealthy and influential members of the upper echelon. As democracy begins to take hold in Crowstead, the Corpore Sano publicly claims to have no influence on the King or his government, but few believe this claim.

History
The Corpore Sano was founded by the six surviving mages of Crowstead in the aftermath of the Counter-Stroke, who are often referred to and venerated as the Primogenitors. The Corpore Sano is headed by the High Council on which there are six seats, each seat reserved for one of the noble houses. Traditionally the King of Crowstead serves as the leader of the High Council, but at least for the last century his seat usually remains empty when the High Council meets.

Factions of the Corpore Sano
Not long after the death of the last Primogenitor, two rival factions formed within the Corpore Sano. While the rivalry between these two factions is extremely heated they do work together in implementing The Mission and each faction has taken on specialized roles within the organization. The Witch Hunters (especially those who do not possess a gift) of the Corpore Sano are heavily influenced by the Unitarians, while the Librarians and Scholars of the Corpore Sano are typically more Gnostic in their leanings.

The Unitarians were the primary faction of the Corpore Sano for most of its history. However, during the last century the Gnostics have gained the favor of House Nocturne and have become the paramount faction within the secret organization.

Unitarians
The Unitarians believe all magic users are vulnervable to corruption, and therefore magic and knowledge about it should be abstained and restricted from use in all but the most extreme cases. They also believe only the Noble families should be allowed to possess magic, and that any others possessing the Gift should be eliminated to ensure the safety of humanity.

Gnostics
The Gnostics take a more liberal approach to magic, believing that the best way to fight fire is with fire. They are proponents for safeguarding magical knowledge of all types, and believe that a well trained mage is the only sure way to implement The Mission.

Views on Gardinia
The Unitarians have long advocated a policy of exterminating the Gardinians, who use magic very liberally, viewing them as the greatest threat to Crowstead. While the Gnostics wish there was more oversight over the Gardinians' use of magic, they view their knowledge of magic as too valuable to lose.

Implementing The Mission
The Corpore Sano accomplishes its goal of controlling magic among the nobles primarily via Eugenics and family planning which have firmly rooted themselves into the cultural mores of the noble elite. Any high noble who openly flaunts promiscuity, attempts to hide a gifted child, or chooses not to marry within his/her 'list' faces the kidnapping and indoctrination of their offspring, as well as a diverse array of punishments including removal from the society, shunning by his/her peers, and in extreme cases exile from the city.

Thanks to the strict regulation of noble families, most of the gifted in modern times are born amongst the commoners and minor nobles in the New City and the many villages nearby. Conscripting these gifted into the Corpore Sano has become a major goal of the organization.

Witch Hunters (Meddlers)
Those who police magic refer to themselves as Witch Hunters, and are commonly called the Meddlers or Meddleman by those who encounter them. Most Meddlers are not high nobles. In stark contrast with the Fruits, the Meddlers tend to favor very darkly colored uniforms. Few among the High Noble houses in Crowstead wish to participate in the distasteful process of hunting the gifted, thus this job has been heavily outsourced mainly to minor nobles from the New City and the Valley.

Many Witch Hunters are Sanctioned magic users. Many are also savagely indoctrinated husks/zombies, serving as a visible warning as to what happens to those who challenge the Meddlemen.

Indoctrination
The indoctrination of the gifted is a violent and cruel brainwashing process inflicted on young individuals which indebts them into lifelong service to the city. The process begins with chemical sterilization of the individual and a long period of torture in which the individual's personality is broken down. Indoctrinated individuals lose their name and are commonly referred to only via their designation or a number. They are taught to believe that they are flawed subhumans unworthy of their powers or their humanity, and that they can only repent for their flaws by serving the city.

Sanctioning
Those who volunteer their Gift to the Corpore Sano are not indoctrinated, and instead are Sanctioned. Sanctioning trains the individual in the safe use of his/her powers. Sanctioning falls under three primary spheres:

- Techs who both provide power to the city and assist in keeping magitech functional.

- Librarians who keep and expand upon the massive Archives of the Corpore Sano.

- Seekers, gifted Witch Hunters who seek, and if necessary destroy their fellow mages. Seekers are trained both in magic detection abilities and are noted for possessing a range of magical abilities. Only Seekers are seen outside of the Old City. They are always accompanied by a ungifted companion.